The History of Common law
...a. They were called vice comites represented a division of responsibility between law enforcement and the judicial process. Until that time, each district’s had done these things for themselves. The vice comites were an unpopular public officer, for the people believed his sole purpose was to collect as many fines as possible. These traveling judges were the forerunners of the circuit judge’s of today. In 1116, Henry I, son of William the Conqueror, issued the Leges Henrici, from which Henry received the title, "Law Giver." These laws divided England into thirty judicial districts, and are particularly important for the following reason there will be certain offenses against the king’s peace, arson, robbery, murder, counterfeiting, and crimes of violence. This brought into acceptance the idea of disturbance of the peace, the concept that men were to be punished by the state, rather than by the individual or group that was injured. Serious crimes, said the king, "We deem to be felonious." The word 'felon' at that time referred to a person of the lowest degree. Other offenses were termed "misdemeanors," meaning bad behavior, and consisted of lesser violations. King John assumed the English throne in 1199. By that time the people were thoroughly disgusted by the brutality used against them in the name of justice. On June 15, 1215, King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta, (great charter) which guaranteed basic civil and political liberties to both the people and nobles. This is how common law came about. Now what is common law? Common law is Judge-made law and precede...